“I don’t like one of your ownership rules,” writes an offended website visitor. “‘Never leave a dog alone with a child’?? My dog is totally trustworthy around my kids!”

Trust can be difficult to define. But, in essence, if you trust a dog, you have a feeling of certainty that the dog will not fail your expectations.

What do you expect from your dog? Dogs live in the moment. They do not have morals. Dogs react to instinctual drives; they do not think about how their actions will affect them or others. Only through a great deal of training and effort can we give our dogs a very rudimentary understanding of cause-and-effect. Dogs cannot think at the level that people do.

Some owners expect their dogs to think logically, to have morals, and to behave like people. Such expectations are unrealistic. You can trust that a dog will think and act like a dog. You can also trust that a dog will not behave like a person.

You can expect (or trust) a dog to:

Jump up on people

Bark

Bite

Chase moving objects

Fight

Lick

Whine

Scratch and paw

Run around

If you own a dog, he will not let you down if you expect these behaviors.

you expect the dog will “know better” than to chase small animals or run into traffic

let your dog “guard” the yard

are trusting your dog to behave like a human

you expect your dog to know the difference between a mail carrier, a Girl Scout, a meter reader, the garbage collector, and an actual thief

But

If you…

Then you…

Because

always watch your dog when he interacts with children or other pets

are trusting your dog to behave like a dog

you expect the dog might be upset or overstimulated by rough play

keep your dog on leash whenever you take the dog off your property

are trusting your dog to behave like a dog

you acknowledge your dog’s predatory instincts, and you want to keep your dog out of trouble

keep your dog as an indoor companion and family member

are trusting your dog to behave like a dog

dogs crave companionship, affection, attention, and inclusion; the human is the decision-maker and leader, not the dog

Some people trust dogs to act and think the way people do. These people are offended by responsible ownership rules because the rules do not trust dogs to behave like people. Some people think that when an owner follows the rules of responsible ownership, it is because that owner does not trust his or her dog to behave—that the dog is “bad.”

Responsible dog ownership rules are based on trust—a different definition of trust! The rules trust that dogs will behave like dogs, and the rules help dog owners to maintain that trust. Don’t be offended by responsible dog ownership rules, and don’t be ashamed to follow them! In order to be a responsible dog owner, you can and should trust your dog—to be a dog.